An outsider's opinion
by EvilWaffleS
Summary: Written for Dragonridingattorney43. When Apollo is brought in to give an outsider's opinion on the relationship between Lana and Jake. Is it really that? JakexLana. Why'd she hide the fact she loved the man? added a new page - its important so read it!
1. Chapter 1

**This is a story written for Dragonridingattorney43's request. JakexLana, story set in Apollo Justice time.**

**Enjoy it xx**

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_She had watched her sister get on the plane destined to England. She acted cool around the teenage girl, claiming she didn't care and that frankly, it was an ungrateful way of repaying her for caring for the teen. Ema's response to her big sister Lana was that she had suffered when Lana went to the trial and now she wanted to follow her heart. They stood, staring at each other's eyes before both said:_

"_We shouldn't hate each other." Ema was disappointed nobody she had told she was leaving had turned up to say those last goodbyes. She especially wanted one person – namely cowboy cop Jake Marshall to be there. Not because she had a stupid teen crush on him, oh no, it was because everyday even though everyone knew she did – Lana denied she liked him._

_The cowboy rushed through the terminal looking at the huge queue (mostly of tourists) destined for 'London Heathrow' the girls had to be in there somewhere! He stopped to catch his breath and noticed the white coat of Ema's away from the queue._

"_Bambina! Wait up!" He called._

"_Jake? What are you doing here?" Was Lana's question._

"_Jake, you came to say goodbye to me!" Ema smiled._

"_Uh-huh, here you go." He handed her the small brown bear in Lana's uniform. "A souvenir to remind you to keep in touch with your sister."_

"_Oh wow, thank you!"_

"_That's real nice Jake."_

"_And a gift from me." He pulled the hat from the top of his head and dropped it on hers. "Don't be a stranger to us when you're over the sea, y'all got that?"_

"_Of course!" Ema glanced at the queue. "I'd better get going. The queue's moving."_

_As soon as the girl in the lab coat had entered the departure lounge Lana could no longer control her emotions._

"_Kid's gonna be alright Lana. Y'all got nothing to worry about with that one." He wasn't much good with woman but he knew how to get to this one's heart. "We should get on down to a saloon."_

_­_-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Her sister had long since returned to America. That was a memory to her now. All she recalled other than that was that Jake was stolen away from her. That night when she had went with Jake back to his apartment, his ex – Angel Starr was on the couch. In her hand she had a freshly cut key for the new locks and she was sprawled in a seductive, cat like way on the couch. She remembered being so mad at him that she didn't want the answer, yet she longed for it deep down. When he gave her the explanation she calmed and yet she always found herself in competition with the lunch box delivering ex-cop.

Ema had been shocked to see no wedding ring or mention of Jake when she appeared at her sister's front door with the failed forensics paper in her hand. Lana was still the same strong willed woman she was when Ema left yet she became quite isolated at the mention of the cowboy. Since leaving (or more accurately being told to leave) her job as a prosecutor she had become a massage therapist and was just as good at that as prosecuting.

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The detective in the white lab coat gathered her stuff in her bag and mumbled goodbye to everyone in the room. At least when she got home she could steal some of her sister's amazing bubble bath and oil and have nice warm bath – the way she always began her weekend. As always though, her mood was destroyed as she passed the arrogant, dark blonde woman who had stolen the man her sister loved. Angel and she never spoke and never fought, they just gave dirty looks to each other as they passed in the street.

_Hm…haven't seen Apollo all day. Guess he decided to take the day off and relax since Phoenix and Trucy have gone on holiday for a couple of weeks. _Ema threw her bag down by the door, she could tell by the sweet scent that hovered in the air that Lana was with a client. She went into the kitchen to see what food was left in the fridge.

" What do you think you're doing Ema?" Ema spun round to her sister.

"Erm…nothing…" She dropped the bag of snackoos back into the fridge.

"This is why you don't eat your dinner when you get it ya know!"

Even though Ema could care for herself; Lana still treated her like a young child.

"I passed Angel again on the way." Ema sulked as she sat in the living room.

"I don't care about that snob as it happens."

"Don't lie." Ema grabbed the remote control off of the coffee table and life sprang into the television. "I don't know why you left it so long to tell him you loved him and wanted to be in his bed."

"That last bit was unnecessary Miss 'I fancy the lawyer'."

"Fancy the?" Ema blushed furiously. "I do not fancy Apollo!"  
"See what I mean, you're doing the same as me! You're putting off your feelings because you don't want to know what your family thinks of them."

"I thought Jake was a real nice guy and a good match for you when I was a kid." Ema stopped on the news channel.

"Well I think Apollo is one of those romantic types and a good match for you." Lana replied honestly. "Now excuse me while I finish off with my client." She headed off to the back of the house and opened the glass door where the inside was shielded off with pale blue curtains.

"My sister's just being stupid…" Ema stared at her cellphone in her hand. "Guess it wouldn't hurt to see if he's doing alright with no Trucy."

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"Nnng…" Apollo groaned, reaching for cellphone just level with his eyes. _Fell asleep at my desk again… _"Hello?"

"Hey there sleepy, you aren't sounding too good today." Ema chuckled.

"I feel asleep at my desk, I've got a real bad feeling my neck's gonna hurt after this."

"I rang to see if you'd hung yourself from the lights out of boredom yet." Ema said bluntly.

"Thank you… for your kind words?" Apollo laughed sarcastically. "What's the real reason you called?"

"How'd you like to help me do some investigating?"

"Depends who and what we're investigating." Apollo still didn't lift his head.

"Ever heard of an ex-cop who was demoted to one of our security guards called Jake Marshall?" Ema waited. "He's my sister's secret love from the past."

"Does he wear a cowboy suit?"

"Yeah."

"I know him. Quite well actually." Apollo recalled chatting to him on occasions when waiting around for someone in the precinct and the guy was wondering round looking for someone or something. "What are we investigating about him?"

"Does this mean you're interested?" Ema knew how to snare Apollo in her traps.

"Why not?" He chuckled.

"We're going to investigate his relationship with Angel Starr…the lunch deliverer who I don't think you've met."

"Starr…?" Apollo felt a lump form in his throat.

"Something wrong?"

"No! Nothing! I'm fine!" Apollo yelled suddenly.

"If you're sure."

"This Starr woman, she isn't the daughter of famous attorney Leia Starr is she?" Apollo felt faint.

"Yeah, I think so." Ema got the snackoos from the fridge again. "Why the bad reaction."

"I think I'm gonna be sick!" Apollo felt bile rise in his throat - the mention of the woman had caused it.

"Apollo!" Ema yelled at the cellphone and no reply came back.

"Something wrong Ema?" Lana joined her sister with a wad of cash in her hand.

"I rang Apollo to ask him to help me with something to do with Angel and he suddenly felt sick and now he won't answer…" Ema felt so guilty.

"Bizarre…"

"Ugh…" Apollo held the cellphone close to his ear as he gargled the water and spat it back into the cup. "…sorry… a bad memory from the past…"

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah…I'll be…" He gripped his neck in pain. "Fine!" He groaned. "My neck's killing like crazy."

"Is the kid ok?" Lana asked, genuinely concerned for the sake of the young attorney.

"I think he is." Ema replied.

"May I talk to him?" Ema handed the phone to Lana. "You alright kid?"

"Uh…hey Lana. Yeah I'm alright. Feeling really light headed and my neck hurts."

"Ya know bed's are for sleeping in not desks." Lana laughed when Ema first told her about Apollo's bad habit to overexert himself then he'd pass out at his desk. "Why'd you feel sick at the mention of Angel?"

"Please don't say her name!" He cried as more bile rose. "It's just something bad from the past."

"I'll tell you what. Me and Ema might be able to help out with your neck. I can teach her how to give you a massage and relieve all the tension in your neck." Ema glared at her sister.

"No." She growled in Lana's ear. Lana covered her receiver.

"Yes, and you're gonna give it him." She whispered back. "You're the one who likes him, not me." She moved her hand away. "She says she'll be happy to help."

"Yeah right." Apollo said sardonically. "I know Ema a little too well for her to say that."

"Well still come over. I can make her warm up to the idea."

"Uh…alright if you're sure." Apollo rubbed his neck. "I'll walk over there, it might make me feel a little better." Apollo put the phone down.

"Why'd you do that?" Ema yelled.

"I'm gonna make sure you don't make the same mistakes as me!"

"I don't need you interfering in my life!"

"Too late you got me and I'm like a fly to you, once you got me you won't get rid of me." She smiled earning a slap.

*

Apollo glanced around at the similar looking brass instruments around the room. The smallest was the one on his desk, a long thin brass tube like instrument – a soprano saxophone. The next was beside the desk, a slightly bigger curvier version – an alto. The next was taller and the neck was bent slightly, the final was the biggest leaning against the wardrobe with a curved neck. They were all saxophones – playing them was a hobby he had developed in the children's home under the care of the attorney Leia Starr's younger sister Jessica, who was his social worker at the time.

It was lonely without the Wright's for him but he was enjoying the quiet it was providing. He quickly got dressed in more casual clothes than that of the clothes he had fell asleep in; drank down a glass of orange juice to settle his throat and stomach and headed out into the fresh mid summer evening air. He hooked his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans as he traversed the streets towards the Skye sister's house.

*

"Alright, I'll do it." Ema sighed. "Only cause you think I like him though."

"Good, don't lie by the way." Lana took her sister's wrist. "I'll give you a quick crash course on how to massage someone's shoulders." Ema found herself in the sound proof room where Lana pampered her clients. She set up the massage chair and told Ema to remove her t-shirt.

"This better be quick." She growled.

"Relax alright. Like this." She began to move her fingers in fluid circular motions across her sister's shoulder blades. "Then if you find a pressure point, press down a little harder and rub." Lana smiled. "That should be all you need." She left the

As Ema put her t-shirt back on she chuckled to herself.

"I'm using Apollo to get an outsider's opinion on whether Jake should be with you and if he says yes, then well…" She made sure Lana couldn't hear. "I'm gonna get him to help fix your mistakes." _I wonder why he reacted so badly to the mention of Angel. Does he know her? If so I can't really use him as an outsider's opinion… _As her head began to ache she whished she was the one receiving a massage of the man she loved – Apollo and not the other way around.


	2. Chapter 2

"Apollo!" Ema called as she let him into the house. "Sorry, Lana's got another client in the back room so we have to stay out here." She signalled to the sofa. On the coffee table was a huge collection of oils, towels and lotions.

"Do you mind if I don't remove my shirt completely? I'll just pull it down." He clutched his chest.

"That's fine. I know you're probably not feeling too good right now." She gently pushed him onto the sofa. He pulled on his shirt buttons and the shirt slipped down from his shoulders.

To Ema's surprise the skin on his shoulders was a pale white. The top of his arms which was exposed was surprisingly muscular.

"This might be a little bit cold." She grabbed a tiny tub of lotion and poured some onto her hands. The contact made Apollo jump, probably because of all the tension in his neck. She massaged the lotion into his neck gently, careful not to put any pressure on his aching muscles.

"That smells nice." He was enjoying the scent of the lotion and when she opened the bottle of sweet strawberry smelling oil he was already in heaven.

"I know." She almost smiled and began to massage his shoulders in gentle circles. Occasionally she dipped her fingers below his shoulders and explored the exposed skin on his back, for 'scientific' (the science of seduction) purposes. His skin was soft and she couldn't resist what she was doing. She quickly came to and began to trace along the sides of his neck feeling the tension as she applied the tiniest amount of pressure.

"This is why you should relax a little more Apollo." She put a little bit of pressure on to a painful pressure point in his neck, causing him to yelp. "Sorry."

"No problem." She worked hard at easing the pain in the younger man's neck. As he began to purr in delight and lean back Ema could see why Lana loved her job so much. She was already leaning back against the sofa and she didn't stop him from leaning back, she just continued to rub his neck gently, savouring his purr as it got louder. Lana had let her client out and crept up behind Ema.

"Boo!"

"Jesus!" She jumped in shock.

"You're looking a lot healthier than you sounded on the phone Apollo." Lana sat on the chair opposite him. She noticed a red mark on his tanned chest where the shirt had fallen a little lower.

"I know what you're looking at." Apollo unbuttoned his shirt more. There were ancient scars from slash wounds on his chest. The wounds looked as if they were in two layers. The bottom layer was definitely an S shape formed by three wounds but the upper injury looked like two other letters made by many other injuries.

"How'd you get wounds like that?" Ema had slid from behind him as soon as Lana had scared her.

"I was attacked." Apollo closed his eyes. "By a couple of members of the Starr family when I was a kid." Apollo tried to control the queasiness in his chest.

"You have a wound on your neck too." Ema gently rubbed her hand across the long thin mark.

"I was almost strangled to death by the same people. They tried to choke me on my scarf."

"On a more lighter note. You look really good. A nice tan and good muscles you got there." Lana smiled slyly at her sister then back to Apollo.

"Uh…thanks." He blushed.

Apollo yawned; his irregular sleeping patterns were starting to affect him.

"Ugh…I need coffee." He felt relieved that Ema had worked all the tension out of his neck. Lana watched as her sister nodded to her; that was her way of telling her to make a move.

"I'll take you to the café round the corner." Ema smiled. "I need your help with something anyway." He smiled at Lana as they ran out the door, her face reflected it – clearly her sister had done a good job with his massage.

Outside the café Ema requested Apollo's help.

"Just before I left to England, I'd told Jake to meet me and Lana at the airport." Ema took a sip of the milkshake before continuing. "For as long as I could remember her and Jake had a thing for each other. Lana never displayed these feelings to him because she was worried about what I'd think. When I'd returned home I expected to see him answer the door or Lana have a wedding ring and his baby in her hands. Whenever I tried to speak to her about him she blocked me out – she still does it now. That's why I don't understand what happened."

"So what can I do to help?" Apollo asked.

"I need you to arrange to meet Jake alone." Ema glanced down at the table. "I need an outsider's opinion on whether he still likes Lana or not. I picked you because you're like a living lie detector – you can tell if he's making stuff up."

"Um thanks…" _Is that a compliment? _"What makes you think he'll say yes if I ask him to have this chat? And what do I say once I get him there?"

"You don't drink alcohol do you?"

"Not during the day no." Apollo took a mouthful of his coffee.

"Well there goes that idea…" She looked at the scar on his neck which was barely visible beneath the thin, red, silk scarf he wore to cover it. "I don't know if what you said back out the house is any direct relation to Angel but I don't want her to be there anyway. That means the police station's out unless you go there before twelve – 'cause she delivers lunches at that time."

"I can do that." Apollo nodded. "I'm not exactly working tomorrow anyway."

"So you'll do it?" Ema's eyes lit up.

"That's what I just said, isn't it?"

"Thanks Apollo."

"So what do I have to ask exactly?" He looked up as the sky turned grey and already the life in the town was dying out.

"Just questions about his relationship with Angel, his past with Lana and maybe some other girls…?"

"Sure alright." Apollo then smiled coyly. "What's in it for me if I do it?"

"Uh…" Apollo then began to laugh.

"I'll let you think about that one." Ema's cellphone began to ring. "Cellphone."

"Hello? Oh right, sure. I'll be back in about five minutes then." Ema spoke into the small pink device.

"Who is it?"

"Lana, to tell me she's made dinner." She replied. "You want me to…? Alright." She covered the receiver with her hand. "She wants to know if you'll come too."

"Ok."

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A meal for three? More like for ten. The table was set out with some pasta dishes, pizza and fajitas and various other continental dishes.

"Wow, you two sure know how to eat." Apollo sat on the left hand side of the table.

"We love to have a big meal at the end of the day because we starve ourselves during the day."

Apollo sat and gorged out on the meal while plotting what to ask to the cowboy cop in the morning. Ema cleared the dishes up with Apollo's help and was washing them in the kitchen while Lana decided to question Apollo.

"Apollo, you are single aren't you?"

"Yes, but I don't see what that has to do with you." Apollo replied.

"I'm not asking for me. I'm _inquiring _for someone else." She replied coolly, clearly this woman was not one to crack under pressure.

"Alright then."

"Have you ever cheated on a girl?" Apollo felt as if she was intruding but still answered:

"Nope."

"Forced them to do stuff they don't wanna do?"

"Nope"

"Are you the kinda guy to pick a girl who looks absolutely fantastic even though she might be as smart as a germ?"

"No. I prefer girls with a mix of personality and looks." Apollo stared at her. "Who are you _inquiring_ for?"

"My secret, client confidentiality you might say."

"More like your client probably doesn't know you're asking."

"Hm…you're starting to learn more about what I'm like." She purred. "Anyways, I'll give you a lift back to your apartment if you'd like."

"Thanks but I'll walk home."

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His fingers were hooked into the belt loops of his jeans as he passed through the quiet city streets. One of his headphones was in his ear, the other hanging over the front of his shirt. He passed by big-shot attorney Leia Starr. _I suppose it wouldn't hurt to say hi. _Apollo ha a distinct link with the Starr family, especially since Leia's parents ran the orphanage where he grew up and Leia's younger sister was the woman who raised him – ironic really since she fell pregnant at fourteen then terminated it – only to take care of the two year old orphan Apollo two years later.

The link between the Starr family and him was broken when Leia adopted Apollo for a while so that her sister – Joanna could go on holiday. Joanna and Leia did nothing wrong to him and nobody knew of the links but him and them. It was the daughter of Leia – Jake's partner responsible.


	3. Chapter 3

He stepped into the chilly office building and crept past the security guard who was too enthralled in his paper to notice. He knew Leia's office was on the second floor. Pacing up the staircase towards his adoptive mother's office he felt a shiver, forcing himself to forget about the past.

"Excuse me, do you have an appointment?" The receptionist asked the brunette.

"No, I'm sorry I don't. Do I have to make one?" Apollo wondered. The young woman at the desk looked past him for a second to the pin board beside him. In the centre was a photo of Leia and her adopted son. The receptionist had never spoken to her boss about the boy before. Suddenly something clicked, this kids' hair was the same.

"You aren't Leia's adopted son are you?" She looked at the vacant stare. "The boy in the picture?"

"Yeah, that's me." Apollo held out his hand. "May I see her?"

"Of course, go right on ahead into this door and head into the door on the back left."

He followed the woman's instructions. As he knocked on the door a floral scent wafted out.

"Come in!" She called.

"Thanks." Apollo closed the door softly behind him.

"That voice sounds familiar to me…" She removed her glasses and looked up from the folder she was reading at her desk.

"Well it should."

"Apollo!" The 50 year old woman leapt up and hugged him. "How have you been?"

"Fine thanks. I'm sorry I haven't been in touch for a couple of years." He took the seat she motioned to. "I can't stay for too long but I figured I'd say hi."

"You're looking quite the big-shot attorney yourself boy." She chuckled. "And that's fine; I know how busy you are."

"Thanks. Maybe you can help me with something. Even though I know you haven't seen her for quite a long time but…what do you know about Angel's partner?"

"I know his name's Jake, that's about it. The last time I saw that evil daughter of mine was at your eighteenth birthday party." Apollo looked around the room at the books lining the black shelving units lining the wall behind her desk. To his left was a painting, which he guessed was based upon an old piece of artwork he had drawn up in high school. Apollo was very bad at drawing portraits but surreal and fantasy artwork was his specialty. It was an image of the world, surrounded by some of the most obscene or bizarre things in nature – like flying fish and Venus fly traps.

"Hm…thanks anyway." Apollo felt his heart sink.

"Would you like a drink?" The older woman asked. It was hard to picture this woman as a 50 year old as she still had her dark brunette hair and slim figure.

"Um…please." Apollo hesitated. "A coffee, no sugar."

"Of course." She spoke into the intercom. "It will be here momentarily."

"So how are you doing?" She asked.

"Not too bad, I got my dream job."

"That's my boy. Joanna would certainly be proud of what you've become." She waited for a moment. "Hm…I do know something else about this Jake fellow. He had a crush on Lana Skye – a girl I often faced in court until about nine years ago. I believe he managed to charm the young Skye girl after he left Angel, and I'm not sure what happened but that soon ended because of my daughter." The sweet smell of the oil on Apollo's neck drifted to her nose. "You smell awfully nice."

"Oh, I know Lana Skye quite well. Her sister is the detective who usually takes the cases I work on. They offered to help relieve all the tension in my neck, the smell is the oil they were using." Apollo watched as the woman at reception placed his drink in front of him.

They both chatted over the coffee about what Apollo had been up to since he left to go to college. She was curious about whether Apollo had found the girl of his dreams and he just chuckled, saying he might have somebody in mind then shrugged the question off.

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He was up bright and early the next morning, ready to face the challenge of the day – asking Jake about Angel. He had arranged to meet Jake in the security guard's room around nine that morning. Hastily getting himself dressed and grabbing his bike, he began to make the short journey to the precinct.

*

The security room used to be a bland, white room near the locker room until Jake started working in there. Lana once told Apollo he begged his boss to let him decorate the office into the bizarre Wild West saloon it had become.

"Mr Marshall. I appreciate you talking to me alone."

"I understand why you don't want Angel around partner as you two have quite a past…" Apollo gulped expecting to be yelled at. "But this is neither a time nor place for that." He flicked the cap up to reveal his face as he lounged behind the desk.

"I'd like it and I'm sure she would too if you didn't mention our little 'run-ins'" Apollo took his seat on the window ledge.

"So what'd you want to know?" The man was probably in his forties – Apollo's observations told him that and yet he was quite a handsome guy.

"Um…I sorta have to go through all the legal junk first…" Apollo did not want to be held responsible for anything. "I just need you to sign the bottom of my answer sheet here to prove it was you who answered."

"I thought you were an attorney, not a cop."

"I am." He watched as he squiggled his name.

"So who's asked you to d' this? One of the Skyes maybe?"

"I'm not liable to say. All the questions I have listed here are about your personal relationships. I hope you don't mind answering them." _Damn…this guy's good._

"Heck, I ain't got nothin' to hide." Jake chuckled. "Fire away cowboy."

"Um…so first of all, when was the first time you dated Angel?"

"Long time ago now boy… eleven years, maybe more." Apollo busily squiggled answers on the sheet.

"Did you ever have any breaks between then and now?"

"Yep, broke up 'bout a year after I started dating her. Went after the other object of my desires." He smiled. "Betcha know who I'm on 'bout too since you're good mates with her little sis."

"Lana Skye." Apollo smiled. The man was quite accommodating really.

"The kid was going to England n' I went to say bye. Lana looked really upset so I took her for a few drinks then took her back to my apartment where I'd had everything changed so Angel couldn't get in." Apollo listened intently. "I got home n' there she was, my ex, on the couch half naked."

"What did Lana do?"

"What most women would do, slapped me. I explained it to her at a later date though."

"Can I just skip ahead to talking about this time with Lana after you explained to her for a while?" Apollo asked looking down at the next question. "When you explained to Lana, did she accept it?"

"Yeah, but she also told me that I should go back to Angel."

"Any idea why?"

"None." The cowboy poured a small drop of amber liquid from his flask into his coffee.

"Did you try to start a relationship with Lana?"

"Nope. She didn't seem interested after that. I figured the girl was jealous, I miss her like crazy though." He sounded sincere. "I think letting her go was the worst mistake I made."

"Thanks. I'll go back to questions about said Starr girl now."

"Any idea how she managed to get into your apartment that night?" Apollo was liking this interview – he should have been a journalist.

"There's a rumour and it's 'bout the only thing that would make sense too. I was patrolling them cells not far from here. My new keys were on the key hook on my belt and I was in charge of caring for a man who called himself Gant. You know about him right?" Apollo nodded, he read it out the old records in the station. "Rumour says something like he made a mould of my key while in his cell and gave it to Angel."

"And you think it's true?" Jake nodded. "Are you happy in your relationship?"

"Not really, I love the bambina 'n all but I keep dreaming 'bout the Skye girl all the time."

"Thanks, I think that's the last of my questions for now." Apollo shook the cowboy's hand before getting up to leave.

"Justice ain't it?" Apollo turned back around. "Come back here for a minute boy." Apollo closed the door and paced back to the desk.

"Yeah?"

"You're friends with that rock dude ain't ya?"

"Klavier Gavin?"  
"That's the one." He grabbed the boy's wrist. "I'll let ya in on a little secret only I know. My Bambina's sure she's played away with him if ya get my drift."  
"On night stand with Klavier? Ha!" Apollo laughed. "If that turns out to be true then I'll be looking at Klavier in a whole new light." _Why would he pick a middle aged woman over some hormonal teen if he slept with fans?_

"Gives me a good reason to throw her out for good if it's true though." He smiled slyly. "I told ya already – I love Angel but I dream of Lana."

"When I was little and I first met Angel's family I always seem to remember them telling me to pick the girl I dreamt about – something about my life would be better than a dream." Apollo shrugged. "Up until just now I had no clue what they were on about."  
"See ya cowboy, hope ya got your info ya needed."

"Thank you again Mr Marshall." Apollo immediately ran out to Ema. He hadn't written down the stuff about Klavier – after all the guy was visiting his family in Germany to tell them about Kristoph. He would have to dig out the note Klavier had left him…


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey Ema." The officer let him into the detective's office.

"That will be all officer." She munched the snackoo. "Next time Mr Justice calls, just let him straight in."

"Of course Detective Skye." The man chuckled as Apollo took the seat opposite Ema's desk.

"Hi Apollo. Got what I wanted?" Apollo produced the sheet from his pocket.

"He's a nice guy. Clever too, think he figured you sent me."

"Isn't he just." She mumbled as she chewed the next snackoo. _Only got half an hour before Apollo leaves. He always leaves before lunch_. "Hm…so what now?"

"I can do a little research for you if you'd like." Apollo offered.

"On what exactly?"

"I dunno, you tell me. I'm working for you here, not the other way around." Apollo snatched her bottle of water from the desk and gulped some of it down.

"Leave me some!" She threw the snackoo at him, making him yelp and lower the bottle. "I'm not sure for now. I can call you if I think of something later though."

"Uh, sure." He rubbed his head where the snackoo had hit him. "I'll be off then."

He rose from the chair and began to walk towards the door. A firm grip on his wrist stopped him from grabbing the handle. Ema spun him around and pushed him against the door.

"How are you expecting me and Lana to pay you exactly?"

"I don't expect Lana to pay me anything." He pulled his wrists away. "As for you, we can talk about my terms later."

He stepped out onto the street when his cellphone began to buzz in his pocket.

"Hello?"

"Apollo, I'm sorry about calling you." Leia spoke softly.

"How'd you get my number?"

"One of your business cards fell out your pocket." She replied hastily. "You couldn't do me a favour could you?"

"Depends what."

"I was supposed to meet Joanna for dinner but I'm kinda busy at the office so can you go instead?"

"Sure I guess so, does she know I'm going?" He asked as he fiddled with the red scarf around his neck.

"I'm planning on making it a surprise. Head on down to the Wallflower."

"Alright. Thanks Leia." He slid the phone back into his pocket of his usual red suit.

He entered the familiar restaurant and the scent of the Argentinean and Italian foods caused his stomach to growl.

"Can I help you sir?" The girl in the black uniform asked.

"I'm looking for someone. Do you mind if I go ahead?"

"No of course." She signalled to the restaurant.

"Apollo!" Joanna's oldest daughter – a nine year old girl called Gwen saw his familiar hair.

"Gwen! Apollo can't be here."

"Really? Well I'll just head on off then." He chuckled.

"Apollo!" She hugged him so tight he felt the air sucked from him. She was only fourteen years older than the young gentleman – making her thirty six. She had four children by two different fathers. Gwen the nine year old was the oldest, her and her younger brother the six year old Adam were fathered by one man. After Joanna and their father split up she met back up with her high school sweetheart they got engaged just before Apollo left to go to law school and they too had a child – a four year old called Brendon.

"You got yourself another kid?" He didn't notice the tiny girl in the high chair.

"Yup, that's our youngest girl – the fourth one called Tess." The baby giggled at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Aren't you cute!" He chuckled. "Leia sent me, she can't come so she asked me to come instead."

"I dunno, you and her are both very busy." She chuckled. "I'll pay for you. My treat."

"Oh…thanks, you don't have to though."

"How long has it been since the accident?" She tugged Apollo's scarf revealing the wounds.

"Ten years now." Apollo took a mouthful of the cola.

"I still can't believe I blamed Leia…"

"That was all in the past. Look at me now. I'm doing great – Leia made up for her mistakes anyway." Apollo looked at the engagement ring on her finger. "Aren't you married yet?"

"I always said I wanted you to go to the wedding as well so we never got round to it. We sorted the wedding to be in a couple of months." The brunette smiled softly as she handed the bottle to the small baby. "You're free to come as well."

"I'm gonna be a bridesmaid!" Gwen chanted.

"Wow you must be really excited and thanks." He watched as the food was put in front of them. The children all had box standard children's meals, Joanna had ordered fresh salmon and gave some of the chips to the toddler, Apollo chose to have pasta in Argentinean sauce.

"What about you anyway?" She smiled as she began to eat.

"You mean my relationship? I don't have one. I'm single." Apollo took another mouthful of his drink.

"Apollo will you cut up my food for me?" Adam handed him the plate.

"Sure pal." He cut the food up.

"You really seriously don't have a girlfriend!?" Joanna sounded shocked.

"Why does everyone react like that? No I don't." Apollo was getting tired of people sounding so shocked – he thought it was natural he didn't have a girlfriend – he wasn't that handsome (at least that's what he thought).

"Sorry, it's just…you're quite the matchmaker and the romanticist."

"I can't believe you still remember that." Apollo sighed. It was true, he was good at getting people together and was incredibly romantic at heart.

His cellphone began to ring as he finished his food.

"Excuse me…" He pulled the red device from his pocket. "Hello?"

"Hey it's Ema." She was busily munching snackoos on the other side of the line. "Can I ask you a favour?"

"Sure."

"I need you to do a little research into the past of Angel. I hear one of her exes has some quite vivid things to stay about her."

"What do you mean vivid?" He asked as he finished the last mouthful.

"Are you eating? Sorry." She continued to munch the calorie filled snacks. "Seems she has quite colourful relationships and she was with this guy before Jake."

"She started dating Jake eleven years ago. I doubt I can get much information."

"But she was dating this guy as well when she started going out with Jake. A little sneaky really." She made a disapproving sound.

"Uh sure. I'll finish dinner then get on it if you'd like."

"Thanks."

"You seem busy." She chuckled. The busy body boy she remembered had grown into a very organised young man.

"Oh I'm helping a detective friend of mine is all." He smiled.

"A woman, a detective Skye perhaps?" She chuckled.

"How'd you know that?"

"I saw her name written in the paper when I was reading an article on you."

He saw the woman off before running to the nearest library. He knew where to look for his information and immediately logged onto a computer. He wasn't proud of the fact that he knew how to access people's most intimate details but with his best friends being a prosecutor, detective and ex-prosecutor (Lana) he had picked these sites up.

**Name: Dr/Mr Neil Chambers**

**Age: 45**

**Profession: Doctor, St Nicholas' hospital**

He copied only that information. He figured the rest was a little too intimate – going into lurid detail about how far he'd gone within relationships. Financial status even if he had any bad habits.

He stayed in the library for a while. Taking an active interest in a book the youngest librarian – a good friend of his offered him. It was a crime book based upon one of the cases – namely the Meraktis case. He read the first few chapters before logging off the computer.

"Can I borrow this?" He asked.

"Sure." He gave her the library card which usually gathered dust in the back of his wallet and caught a bus back to the precinct.

He expected the precinct to be dead but instead it was a flurry of activity before he even got through the door. He could see Jake outside the door.

"Mr Marshall, what's going off?" He asked.

"Howdy there cowboy, if I was you I'd think about jumpin' in that bush if I were you."

"Why?"

"'ppears my bambina's had a complaint off one o' them officers. Not your bambina by the way." He lifted the rim of his hat.

"My bambina? Do you mean Ema?" The cowboy nodded. "She isn't my girlfriend!"

"Well anyway. Angel's the sorta bambina who don't take complaints. She lashed out at that officer." He looked up towards the window of the second floor. "Takin' quite a few people to sort her out n' all." His eyes became fixed on the door. "Get in the bush quick deputy." He pushed Apollo hard into the bush.

He could see the blood stain on Ema's lab coat as she forced to make the woman exit. Jake was trying to keep the delirious and somewhat psychotic woman calm. _She's got quite a habit of over-reacting I see…_


	5. Chapter 5

"Ema!" Apollo shouted from the bush he was tangled in.

"Apollo?" Ema studied her surroundings searching for the young attorney. "Where are you?"

"Look to your left – in the bush." Apollo groaned as one of the twigs jabbed his hip.

"What are you doing?" She couldn't help but smirk.

"Jake pushed me in here. Little help?" He held out his free arm. She took it and pulled. Soon he was free of the bush, dragging half the leaves with him.

"You're supposed to keep the leaves on the bush." She brushed him down. "I'm not going to ask why he pushed you."

"Good. I need to ask a favour. Will you give me a lift to St. Nicholas' hospital?"

"Sure." She pulled her car keys from her bag. "Is this where Angel's ex is?"

"I'll explain on the way."

"…So that's what the info said. That's where I'm going." Apollo finished.

"Mind if I tag along?"

"Aren't you still working?" Apollo asked and cautiously reached into the open bag of snackoos between them. He was curious as to what they tasted like – the bag said chocolate flavour. He chewed it nervously at first – making sure he kept quiet. "Hey, these things are quite nice."

"Hey!" She slapped him – hard.

"Ok, ok sorry." He groaned.

"Work will ring me if it's that majorly important right?" She snatched the bag possessively and stuffed it into the holder in the door. "Seems everyone is a fan of hurting you." She smiled.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I hit you with a snackoo for drinking my water, Jake shoved you in a bush and I hit you again for eating my snackoos."

"Geez it was just one." Apollo smiled sheepishly.

"Close your eyes and open your mouth." She watched as Apollo did as he was told. "Here." She pushed another of her treats into his mouth. "You're not getting any more."

"Thanks Ema."

"We're here." The large modern hospital overcast them in its shadow.

*

"Hi we're looking for a doctor Neil Chambers." Apollo ran to the receptionist.

"Who's asking?"

"Apollo Justice, attorney at law." Ema spoke before Apollo got chance. "And I'm Ema Skye, a detective for the police."

"Oh my, is he in trouble?" The young girl gasped.

"No we need to talk to him about a past relationship with someone we're investigating." Apollo assured her. "May we see him?"

"I'll check to see if he's busy…" She hastily looked his name up in a folder open on her desk and dialled the number for his department. "Hello? Yes it's Katie from reception. Is Dr Chambers busy?...no?...it's just that an attorney and police officer need to talk to him about someone they're investigating."

"This is stupid. Why didn't she just tell us which department to go to?" Ema whispered in Apollo's ear.

"It kinda kills the point of her only chance to get a decent conversation." Apollo replied equally as quiet.

"He's free." Kate – the receptionist turned to the pair. "Say…do you two date each other?"

"No!" Ema barked. "Date him?" Apollo and the girl chuckled.

"Hey calm down!" The girl yelled still chuckling. "Head up to the third floor then follow the signs for paediatrics."

"Uh…thanks…" He pulled the fuming Ema's arm to make her follow.

"He works with kids huh?" The elevator rose at a painfully slow pace.

"Seems so." Apollo noticed she was beginning to lose the redness in her face.

"You're here for Dr Chambers I presume?" The woman behind the desk growled.

"That's right." Apollo smiled, her glare soon made his face drop again.

"Neil! They're here!" She roared like an ape.

"Ah, if you'd like to follow me you two." A middle aged doctor appeared.

"That hag sure doesn't seem to be impressed. Not the kind of person I'd want in a kiddie ward." Ema growled.

"I know. She can be a real hothead sometimes." He waved his hands in the direction of two chairs as he took his seat behind his desk. "Please. Take a seat."

"Thank you." The man appeared to have a kind demeanour.

"May I ask your names?"

"Yeah, I'm Apollo Justice, attorney at law. This is Ema Skye, my best friend and a detective." Ema smiled politely at the man.

"We were hoping to ask you some questions on a past partner. Miss Angel Starr?"

"That liar!" He sounded shocked. "Before I answer your questions can I ask you something Mr Justice?"

"Sure."

"I hear you and Angel knew each other in the past, is that true?"

"My care worker and her mother are sisters. It is only natural I had a relationship and link to her family." Apollo replied coolly – as if he'd rehearsed it.

"What can I help you with?"

*

"She was two timing. Me and a guy called…Marshall I think." The kind doctor finished the lat question. "Something like that."

"Thank you for your help." Ema drank the rest of her drink.

"No problem. She's quite a character, not a good one mind you." He leaned over the desk slightly. "She isn't in trouble with the law is she?"

"No." Ema replied bluntly. "It's more of a private investigation."

"Ah, ok."

"Thanks again for your help. We appreciate it." Apollo stood. "We'll see ourselves out…"

"Of course."

As they made their way back to the silver car the detective loved just as much as science.

"She was more than just a cheater. She has a sharp, acid tongue and is a poor liar." Ema summarised what the doctor had told her.

"So what now?"

"We need to try and get Jake and Lana to go out together as friends. After all, he needs someone to turn to if we're going to split him and Angel up." Ema saw as Apollo shuddered. "You cold?"

"No, I'm fine."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Hey Ema, check this out." Apollo hushed her and pulled her close to him. He was peering around the edge of the door. There was Jake and Lana.

"What are they on about?" She snuggled herself deeper into his chest, moulding herself to fit perfectly into the arm around her waist.

"Shhh, let's find out."

"Have you seen my sister?" Lana must have only got there, hunting for Ema.

"Na bambina." The cowboy replied, kicking his heels back as he leaned against a desk. "Haven't seen 'em for an hour or two."

"Oh. Ok." She sounded upset.

"Say, bambina, are we still friends?"

"Acquaintances would be a better word." She grumbled.

"Why's that?" He cooed.

"Because you and I haven't done anything friends do for a long time."

"How 'bout a drink tonight then bambina?" He took his hat off and threw it down on the desk. "Ain't gonna be no Angel. She's gonna be stayin' at the hospital for a while."

"I dunno…"

"Oh wow Apollo. We don't have to do anything at this rate." Ema was trying to hold back her giggle of excitement that was welling up in her throat.

"Hush…" He whispered into her ear, his hot breath making her feel accepted.

"Go for it Lana…" For some reason Lana must have heard the last sentence even though it had been spoken far softer than the others. She turned in the direction of the door and began to walk out to see the two eavesdroppers.

"Uh-oh quick hide." It was no good, before they had even moved they had been collared by Lana.

"Nice try." She purred. Pushing them into the room, with bowed heads she continued her conversation. "I'd love to Jake."

"Thanks bambina." He turned to look at the youngest two of the people in the room. "If it ain't the cowboy and the deputy. What can I do you for?"

"Nothing thanks Mr Marshall. We were just returning from a little outing."

"Can I talk to you alone for a second Jake?" Ema asked.

"I need to talk to you Mr Justice." Lana hooked her fingers around the back of the young attorney's collar and pulled him out the door.

*

"I know you heard all my conversation." Lana pushed him down on the staircase leading towards the Prosecutor's office. "I'm not gonna be mad either. I want you and Ema to go out with me and Jake for our little drink tonight."

"Wait, why?" He was sure he felt a chill run down his spine.

"Well, I want to make it a little more fun for a start and two…" She smiled. "You'll see for yourself soon enough. I'll talk Jake round."

"Uh…I guess that's ok." He shivered.

"Run along now, back into the office." She pushed him through the door as a devious smile crept across her face.


	6. Chapter 6

"So where's the patient?" The aged doctor asked.

"In her room, C1 I believe." The younger intern replied. They swung the door open; there was nothing there but papers and magazines that had been scattered over the room by the wind blowing through the open window.

"Search the area. We got a loose one!"

*

Swaying in the tree, gradually making her way down, she was careful to make as little noise as possible. She took refuge in the shadows while she made the short trek to where the man she _really _loved was waiting.

She knew how to get in to the prison tower. Making sure no cops were around she began to remove each brick until there was a hole big enough for a petite woman like her to crawl through. She crept across the small grass plain, avoiding all the searchlights towards the iron bars of the death row inmates were waiting.

"Angel my dear, I was getting impatient, your visits are becoming much less frequent." The man in the orange jacket with grey hair managed to fit one of his hands between the bars.

"Honestly honey…" She kissed his hand. "I'm a very busy girl." She purred.

"I know, has he proposed yet?" The grey haired gentleman asked.

"Nothing. I need his cash to get you out too!" She roared.

"Hush my baby, hush. Be patient, Mr Marshall will soon see the light." He chuckled. "Have you been doing what I asked?"

"Of course, being at his beck and call, offering myself to him at every opportunity…"

"You've been doing that for eleven years!" He growled. "I meant the other thing."

"No. It appears that that blasted ex-prosecutor has got her little kid sister on the case."

"The little Skye girl…"

"That's the one." Angel took hold of the bars and forced herself against the wall as a searchlight passed her. "To make matters worst, I heard a rumour that the little Skye has brought her loyal pet, my 'little brother' with her."

"Why is this a problem?"

"I hate him!"

"He is obsolete. When me and you get out we will marry in a far off place where we'll never have to see the people that make our blood boil again." Angel felt her heart melt, she loved it when he made her think of the future.

"I understand. Until next time my dear Damon." She cooed.

"Of course my Angel, we will soon be together!"

It would make a normal person's skin crawl at the thought of Angel being all seductive to the man everyone would probably consider hotter just for his money when she wanted to be in the pants of the much older death row inmate Damon Gant.

"After all…things only get better with age." She mumbled.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

He needed a shower. He stepped under the spray of water, cursing as it washed out the gel in his hair – causing it to fall in front of his eyes. He pulled all of his hair back in one disorganised lump. Taking his shampoo and massaging it into a gentle lather on the top of his head made his hair feel soft to his touch. He carefully washed around the scars on his chest – he was a twelve year old kid when he got them, and after Leia and Joanna eliminated all of the problems for him he was finally granted a caring family. He had more than just a direct link to the family he was classed as a member of the family. He kept his name though instead of taking Leia's because he wanted to remember his past in the children's home.

His hair was soon dry as he sat in his room, only covered by the towel. He styled his hair first and managed to get the bottom half of his body dressed before there was a knock on the door.

"Damn…" He left the room as the knocking got louder and more impatient. "I'm coming!"

Ema was behind the door, dressed and ready to go and she figured since she had to walk past Apollo's house on the way to the bar they were going to, she might as well call. She too did not know this second reason for Lana inviting them but by now both Apollo and her had developed their own theories.

"Hi Apollo! Oops hehe sorry, didn't realise you weren't ready." She chuckled.

"No it's fine, come on in." She took his invitation and sat on the couch, watching as he ran around crazily looking for his shirt. _Damn…he looks…hot! _Ema inwardly cursed herself. _No! Bad Ema! _

The bar wasn't too far away from Apollo's apartment. Ema had forgotten to bring her jacket (being summer) and she had to hug close to Apollo for warmth. She ran ahead as they reached the bar. Apollo hung in the door and reached out to hold Ema back.

"Ema hang on!" He pointed to Lana and Jake who were stood at the bar in each other's arms. "I think they class each other as friends again."

"Cool" she mumbled, breaking free of his grip. _I think I'm liking this a little too much._

"Lana!" Apollo was always shocked at how optimistic and happy Ema was when around her older sister.

"Ema! Apollo!" She called. "What are you having?"

"Beer for the cowboy I'm guessing."

"Hey, I don't drink beer." Apollo replied honestly.

"Try this." Lana offered her drink, which Apollo figured was a cocktail of some kind. He took a sip of it and it tasted strong of vodka and peach schnapps.

"That's nice."

"Want one?"

"Sure." Apollo smiled. "Thanks."

"Normal for you, right Ema?"

"Yeah, thanks sis."

"Cowboy, can I have a word with ya'll?" Jake grabbed Apollo's wrist and dragged him across the room to a table.

"What can I help you with Mr Marshall?"

"Being with the girl I dream about is makin' me feel a little funny."

"I can't do much about that." Apollo rubbed the back of his neck shyly.

"I know, but I can tell I ain't the only one with a girl I dream about." He smiled coyly at the young attorney.

"Wait me! Hang on a sec…" He spluttered.

"We'll have to finish this talk another time. Lana's on her way over."

Lana came over first, and then tripped Ema. She fell into Apollo who luckily managed to catch her by the back of her shirt and catch the bottle that was in her hand with the other hand.

"Easy, be careful." He pulled her back up and pushed her onto the chair beside him.

"Uh…thanks." She turned away to hide her blush.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

They laughed and joked for hours, chatting about random things.

"Ugh…I'm feeling a little sleepy." Lana yawned. "I think I'll head home."

"Let me walk you bambina, it's dangerous for pretty maidens like you in the dark." Jake took his jacket and wrapped it round her shoulders.

"Bye you two." Lana said sleepily.

"See you sis, bye Jake."

"Bye, see you soon." Apollo waved.

"I think it's going as we planned." Ema shifted from her chair to the couch where Lana and Jake were sat. She patted the seat beside her and Apollo joined her in the comfortable couch. Apollo relaxed, stretching his tired limbs and took another mouthful of his drink. Ema had almost reached her threshold for drinking – if she drank much more she would be drunk. She began to hiccup.

"You alright honey?" Apollo couldn't help but laugh at her.

"Stop laughing!" She hissed. "And don't call me honey."

"Alright relax. Want some water or something?"

"Please…"

Apollo got the water from the bar and offered it to her. Her hiccups were so bad she couldn't hold the glass still enough to drink it. He ended up leaning against her and helping her get the cup to her mouth.

"Thanks…I think I'm finished." Her skin turned cool where he touched. "Hey…can I stay at your place tonight?"

"Yeah, of course you can."

"Thanks, I don't mean to pressure you or anything…" She mumbled drowsily, she was tired too. "I just don't want to spend the night alone, after having so much fun and all."

"It's fine. Shall we go?" She shuddered as they got outside so he offered her his jacket and they slowly walked through the dark streets to his apartment.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Apollo had given Ema his room to sleep in and given her one of his longer t-shirts and some shorts to wear. She had slept as soon as she touched her pillow and soon she was dreaming:

"I now pronounce you man and wife." She was at a wedding, Lana and Jake's. She was in a lilac dress carrying a large bunch of flowers behind her older sister. Beside Jake stood Apollo. _I must be the bridesmaid; Apollo must be the best man… The suit he's wearing, it makes him look even better. _ Apollo was dressed in a black suit with a red silk shirt.

As they got ready to get into the car Jake whispered to Lana.

"Make sure Ema catches the flowers, she's got a good guy with her. One who stands by her no matter what." _Who Apollo? What guy? _She caught the flowers and Lana giggled before climbing into the car. She held the flowers close to her and Apollo walked towards her. She heard the crowd chant 'kiss' over and over again and as his lips brushed hers she woke. _No! So close! I just want to know what his kiss tastes like! _She held her head in her arms, she lay back down but now sleep wouldn't take her.

*

Apollo wasn't used to sleeping in a single bed so he was finding it hard to settle in Trucy's bed, but he found it healthier to sleep in her room the Mr Wright's. Soon sleep took a firm grasp on him he too entered the realm of dream:

Ema and Apollo were out with Lana and Jake again, it looked like they were out for dinner at the local (rather expensive) Italian restaurant.

"So when are you gonna get round to asking Ema?" Lana asked him.

"Ask her what?"

"You know what, cowboy." Jake chuckled.

"Aww leave him alone!" Ema jumped defensively. "Can you excuse us for a second?"

They were outside, sat on the wall beside the vines of ivy growing on the whitewashed walls of the restaurant. She nestled herself against his chest.

"Hey, Ema." Apollo caught her attention. Just like her, as he leant to kiss her he woke.

*

Ema crept from Apollo's room to Trucy's. Apollo noticed the faint streak of light as the door opened a little – Trucy said it always did that. He closed his eyes, longing for the sleep to take him once more. His eyes shot open again as the light intensity increased. A silhouette was in the doorway. Apollo reached for Trucy's lamp.

"Ema? What's wrong?" She walked forward and sat beside him on the bed, he quickly scooted across and sat up.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"I guess so. Why?" Apollo wondered.

"I can't sleep, I keep having weird dreams."

"Me too." Apollo comforted her. "Come here." He lifted the covers. He thought he was inappropriately dressed to have a girl he didn't date beside him as he was only in his boxers. She didn't see this as a problem when she joined him in the cramped little bed. Both were thinking the same thing: _I wonder what he/she tastes like._


	7. Chapter 7

On the other side of town, Jake had managed to get Lana back to her apartment.

"Would you like something to drink Jake?" She offered, as she motioned for him to go in.

"A coffee to sober me up if you could bambina."

Sure, it was innocent coffee so why the hell had she ended up in his arms, laying back on the couch asleep and he with her lipstick on his face and make up marks on his shirt. It didn't bother either of them because they both longed for this, they couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that maybe, _maybe _the other was drunk. Neither of them was.

-x-x-

Apollo had somehow managed to take up the least amount of space in the single bed that night by stretching himself out and sleeping on his arms. Ema on the other hand had tossed and turned all night and eventually found comfort by gripping the ends of the thin cover on top of them and holding it close to her chest.

It was Ema who woke first, surprised to find that during the night she had turned to face Apollo and hugged against him. She forgot she was in a single bed and tumbled out with a loud thump. That roused Apollo.

"Sorry!" She yelped.

"Hm…oh, it's fine." He rubbed his eyes. He sat up on the edge of the bed and helped her up, balancing on his legs.

"Thanks for last night." Ema stepped back and managed to stay balanced alone. "Can I use your shower?"

"Sure, go on ahead."

As he heard the sound of the water hitting the enamel bath tub he crept back into his own room and got changed. After a quick round of shouting 'objection!' to practice chords of steel he opened the book on his desk. It was a journal, a gift from Trucy and he promised he would use it.

_Last night was fun. For once I actually managed to stay sober as well. Jake and Lana got their friendly status back and I think they probably got up to more after they left but that is none of my business. Ema came back with me, I left her in my room to sleep but she came into Trucy's room and complained she was having strange dreams. As was I…I wonder what she tastes like._

-x-x-

"Ema!" Lana swung her baby sister's door open. "Ema? Where the hell are you?" She pulled her cellphone from her pocket and dialled the girl's number.

-x-x-

Ema was trying to fix and tame her soaking hair as the cellphone rang.

"Hello?"

"Ema where the hell are you?" Lana barked.

"At Apollo's, am I not allowed out?" She growled back.

"You spent the night there?" Lana purred.

"Yeah, is there a problem with that?"

"Hm…I think my sister's fallen in love."

"No I'm not!" Ema snapped back.

"I want details when you came back here."

"Details?" Ema wasn't experienced with love and crushes so now she had no clue about what Lana was asking.

"Are you working today?"

"Yeah."

"I'll see you there."

Ema didn't want to return home to collect her work uniform so she chose to wear the clothes she had been wearing the night before to work.

"Apollo, what should we do now?"

"I'm gonna tie up a few loose ends then I'll talk to some members of the Starr family about Angel." He took a mouthful of the hot drink in his mug. "If that's alright."  
"Sure, I thought you didn't drink coffee…" Ema drank a mouthful of her coffee.

"It isn't coffee." He handed her the mug. "Try it."

"Strawberry tea?"

"Uh-huh." He took the mug back.

He wheeled the bike through the street as he escorted Ema to the police station – he was planning on buying a motorbike soon since he had just past his motorbike test, thanks to Klavier's lessons.

"Meet me and Lana for lunch later, alright." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Sure." Apollo climbed onto his familiar red bicycle. "Oh, I might have a look for a new motorbike while I'm out today."

"Cool, you better give me a ride when you get it!"

"Why should I give you a ride? Whenever Klavier offers you scream at him."

"I hate the glimmerous fop and he probably drives like a maniac." She purred.

"See you soon." She waved him off, as he left she felt her heart sink. _Is that love? _

-x-x-

The hot sun was causing him to pant heavily. He had no choice but to chain the bike up and go into the quaint café he usually went into when he was working.

"Morning Apollo!" The young waitress, a teenage girl called.

"Good morning Jess." He sat at the counter.

"The usual?" Her father, the owner of the café already set up the machine.

"Please." Apollo looked at the phone on the edge of the desk. "Do you mind if I use your phone?"

"Sure, not like we pay the phone bill." His ex-wife did. "The longer you take the better."

"Thanks."

Apollo rummaged through his wallet, producing the number to his family in Germany. He even wrote down the code for the international call.

"Guten Tag." A young female voice answered. _Afternoon?_ Apollo wondered.

"Um…hi, I'd like to talk to Klavier Gavin."

"Ah ok." He heard a long stream of words which he couldn't understand.

"Herr Forehead!" Klavier called overjoyed.

"Hi Mr Gavin, what time is it out there and who was on the phone?"

"That was my niece Fae, mien schwester's daughter. It is about half seven in the evening here."

"You have a sister?"

"Ja, four of them." He chuckled. "My mom had another son after I left to America as well."

"I need to ask you something…" Apollo said slowly.

"Go for it."

"I know you don't sleep with fans but I'm working with Ema and Lana to help that security guard, he claims his partner slept with you."

"I don't sleep with my fans Herr Forehead." He mumbled darkly. "What's her name?"

"Angel Starr."

"Name doesn't seem familiar." Klavier seemed to have thought for a while. "Are you near a computer?"

"Yeah, there's some here."

"Can you send me a photo of the woman? Can you get in touch with the security guard?"

"Can do, might take a while."

"Danke, e-mail it to me." Klavier was speaking German to someone in the background. "I have to go now." The line went dead.

"Here you go Apollo, one tropical smoothie." She put the tall glass in front of him.

"Thank you, I need to borrow a computer"

"Borrow my laptop." She gave him her laptop.

"Thanks, your very sweet." He handed her the $10 bill. "Keep the change."

"Hello?" Ema answered her cellphone.

"Hi Ema, can you get Jake to come into your office?"

"Sure." He heard as she dialled the number on the phone on the desk. They waited in silence for Jake to arrive.

"Give the phone to Jake." He told her.

"Mr Marshall, do you have a picture of Angel that you can e-mail to me?" He asked.

"Sure why?"

"Gonna e-mail it to the prosecutor to see if he recognises her."

"Alright. I'll head back to my office and send it." He gave the phone back to Ema.

"What are you up to?"

"Snooping." Apollo replied, taking a mouthful of his drink. "Might as well, while it's to hot to do much else."

The e-mail arrived and as soon as it did it was sent to Klavier and the reply was sent back almost instantly.

_Nein, I think I remember seeing her hang out with all the roadies and groupies out back. Seems she's quite a fan of mine._


	8. Chapter 8

He had finished his research on Angel and Jake. There was a sense of foreboding in the air as he felt like this relationship would be something you see on daytime television. He hoped lunch with the girls would be enough to make him feel good again but he didn't expect the news.

"I got a report that Angel got out of the hospital…" Ema murmured through her food.

"You sound scared." Apollo pointed out. _Why is she acting this way?_

"Sorry…"

"I found out a little rumour about Angel that you might find interesting." Suddenly both the girls perked up and glared at poor Apollo.

"Go for it sport. We wanna hear some dirt!" Lana lowered her fork.

"There's a rumour going round she's been trying to get Jake to marry her for money to bail some prisoner called Grant or Grent or something."

"You mean Gant?" Both girls became paralysed with fear as the name was spoken by the lunch lady Angel herself.

She stood there, twirling a lock of her beige coloured hair around her finger and her white coat blew in the draft. Apollo, who's past was unknown to the two girls with him, gripped the leather of the seat in the booth until his knuckles turned white. One of his hands was hovering above Ema's before Angel turned up and now he was hurting her he was so scared. This was scaring Ema more.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Lana spat as she recovered from the fear.

"I deliver their food!" Angel said scornfully. "You should tell your little bastard of a friend there to keep his nose out of other's business!" Apollo and Ema were still terrified but they felt a spout of courage caused by the rage at her.

"Leave him alone!" Ema snarled.

"I do my job, nothing more!" Apollo barked.

"I don't want to cause a fuss around my boss…" She wondered away. "You should be careful…little brother…" She mumbled as she left.

"Apollo relax." Ema tugged his arm away from her hand, his whole body was rigid. Apollo felt each of his muscles relax one at a time.

"S-sorry Ema…" He realised what he had done which was making her blush.

"It's alright."

"Why'd you tense up?" Lana asked as she watched his hands shake violently.

"She and I don't get along. Her mother and my care worker when I was a kid are sisters…" Apollo tried to hold the bottle of soda but couldn't manage. "Ema, you know all the saxophones in my room?"

"Yeah."

"Every single one of them were gifts from Angel's mother and grandparents. I was considered a member of their family and she hated it." Apollo felt his neck for the silver chain that hung from it. "My necklace was a gift from Angel's mother."

Apollo needed sympathy as he felt sick and weak again. Lana was worried for him and offered to take him and his bike home or let him rest up somewhere.

"I'll be fine…I just need some air…" He mumbled groggily.

"If you're sure. I've got to be heading off now anyway, I have another client waiting." Lana grabbed her car keys and left enough money to pay for their food before leaving.

"Come on Apollo." Ema looked at their plates. "We should eat up." Neither really wanted to touch the food, they just ate a few meagre mouthfuls and got ready to leave.

As Apollo had to go past the police station to get back to the office he happily walked back with Ema.

"Apollo, you need someone to look at you, you look dreadful – like your going to faint." As she said it Apollo lost his balance. Her hands shot out to grab his shoulders and steady him. "You're not going home in this state!"

"Ugh…" Apollo groaned. "O-ok."

"Follow me." She ordered.

Before he realised it he was laying back on the leather couch on the left hand wall of her office, covered in a light sheet. He really did want to be sick, he felt horrid and wanted to faint.

"Stay here until the medic gets up here."

"But-"

"Don't argue." Ema leaned over him and he caught the scent of chocolates on her breath.

-x-x-

He'd had enough of waiting for that blasted cowboy to marry that gorgeous beauty called Angel. Over time he had worked the concrete out from the bricks and today was the day he would get out. The bricks fell silently and made a hole small enough for him to get through. He purred with delight as he grabbed his orange suit jacket in his arms.

"I'm free!" Damon Gant called to the sky.

-x-x-

_He's kinda cute when he's asleep… _Ema turned to watch the sleeping attorney. A knock on the door stopped her from staring for too long.

"Come in."

"I came to see your patient…" The police medic stepped forward.

"Apollo…" She whispered in his ear and shook him gently.

The check up was useless and all Apollo could do was groan his answers to her questions.

-x-x-

"Angel! Answer bambina!" Jake growled at the phone. "Grr…" That was the tenth time he called that day. "I need someone to talk to…I know!"

"Hello?" Lana washed the soothing oil off her hands and held the phone to her ear using her wrist.

"Hey bambina!"

"Hey Jake what's up?" She had a bad feeling he was going to tell her he regretted the night before.

"I need someone to talk to and…" He sighed. "I wanted to tell you I…"  
"Regretted last night?"

"No not at all. I liked it, almost as much as I love you." He said it so fast it took a while for it to filter through to Lana.

"Do you…mean that?"

"I-I…uh…" He blushed. "Look…can we meet up tonight?"

-x-x-

It was about ten in the evening, Apollo had slept far too much already. He just sat there in the darkness of the office, flicking through the television channels. He was still semi-conscious, drifting away occasionally. He began to doze again.

It was when he woke with someone grabbing him by the throat with a strong constricting arm and a feminine voice with a pistol that Apollo realised he never should have stayed home alone that night. He could feel the pistol pressed just below his rib cage, whoever was planning on shooting him was trying to maim him and not killing (Not that there's much difference in Apollo's opinion - being maimed meant feeling so bad you wanted to be dead to him).

"Did you miss me little brother?" She purred by his ear, trying to push the pistol deeper into his chest.

"Not really Angel…" The arm gripped tighter and he spluttered. "Personally…the further away I am from you the better my life will be…" he wheezed.

"Don't forget Red Eyes! I know a heck of a lot about you." Angel whispered, the name Red Eyes made him whimper – it was a part of his power that lay dormant but had been unleashed once.

"Who's your friend?" Apollo groaned.

"Damon Gant." The husky voice replied.

"Charmed…" He mumbled sarcastically. "So you are using Jake for his cash aren't you big sister?"

"Don't you ever call me that!" She screamed slapping him hard across the face. "I'm just here to finish what I started…" She worked her hand under his shirt and dug her claw like nails into the sensitive flesh around his knife wounds. "My daddy's waiting to finish you this time as well…"

She lowered the pistol and produced a knife from under her dress. _How do guys find that hot during movies? _Apollo shuddered at that thought.

"What are you going to do? Daddy won't be too happy if you start without him…" Apollo felt the grip on his throat tighten again.

"I'm just going to leave a message for whichever sad sap happens to notice you're gone…" She pressed the blade against the sensitive skin beneath his right shoulder and began to pull the knife down. His moan was stifled by a second hand, covered in a thick leather glove over his mouth.

"Be a good boy now…let's go!" He couldn't fight…he had no choice but to comply. It was comply or die and right now the first one sounded a little better than the latter.

-x-x-

"Apollo. C'mon pick up the phone." That was the fifth attempt from Ema to get contact from him in the morning.

"Honey, he was dreadfully sick yesterday, he's probably passed out on the couch or something…" Lana didn't know what to say.

"That fills me with confidence…" She took a mouthful of the orange juice. "I've got to see if he's ok!"

-x-x-

That message Angel wrote on the wall would be the key to making Ema realise what Apollo meant to her and would give Jake the reason to reunite with his true love – Lana.


	9. Chapter 9

"Apollo, you home?" Ema called, as she knocked on the door it swung open on its own. "Apollo if this is some kind of joke it isn't funny…" she carefully peered round the door. The first thing that hit her was a scent, a mixture of leather and copper. It made her feel ill and as she took a breath in it clung to her throat and tasted foul. "Apollo?"

She was concerned now, either Apollo was a fan of bondage sex, a mass murderer or something bad had happened. She ruled out the first two (why she had thought of the first one at all she was unsure) as soon as she saw the couch. The couch was cream and there was a thick crimson stain big enough to cover her palm. She thought it was wine at first as she knew that Phoenix had several bottles of red wine in the house. As she looked deeper at the stain – taking note that the edges were slightly lighter she clicked on that it was blood and producing the foul coppery odour.

She was sure her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes shot to the floor behind the couch now where there was a thin trail of speckled blood stains across the floor. She followed them with her eyes to the desk and eventually to the wall behind it.

_If you want to see Red Eyes again be quick about it! Angel xx I'm finishing what I started at 17 Ace Avenue_

The blood was smeared all over the blue paint and Ema wanted to faint. She hastily worked her hands into her pocket and produced her cellphone. She snapped a photo of the stain. Then pressed 1 on speed dial.

"Lana its Ema. Meet me in Jake's office in fifteen minutes."

"Why?"

"It's an emergency!"

-x-x-

Apollo bit back the whimpering and whining as he was tossed between the two walls like a limp rag doll. As Angel's father and Gant let him fall to the floor in a slump he felt Angel sit on his legs and gradually work her fingers through the button holes of his shirt, as it fell loose from his shoulders she purred in delight.

"It's a shame…you and I are both much older now. I could do so much more to hurt you…" She pressed herself against him urgently, tensing all her muscles in her thighs. "And there's no mum or Joanna to stop me, no way of you escaping alone Red Eyes…" She turned to her father and then her lover. "You should leave us alone."

"Of course my dear…" Her father and Gant were roughly the same age.

"You work out a lot?" She pressed the side of the blade against his abs. "I have to admit you look pretty hot. Why hide it underneath these clothes?"

"What's it to you?" His muscles contracted involuntarily at the coolness of the blade.

"I'm going to take away the last bit of you I hadn't the guts to take before…" He could feel her trying to undo his belt buckle.

-x-x-

While Apollo was still being bashed around Lana had rushed to Jake's office to meet the sobbing Ema and concerned Jake.

"Show me the photo!" Lana commanded Ema. Jake and her leaned close.

"Red Eyes? That couldn't be…" Jake got lost in his thoughts.

"Couldn't be what?"

"Something Angel told me once. Her mom adopted a bambino who was quite a lot younger than her and Angel's father and her did some things to him… her mom was gonna get busted for 'murdering' this kid. Somehow though he managed to get away and get to the court house. He screamed something and just stood there perfectly erect with these piercin' red eyes and in no pain even though his throat had a huge cut across it and his chest was covered in 'em. When he stopped glowin' well…he fell to the floor in pain."

"His neck and chest?" Lana thought back to the wounds on Apollo. "That's Apollo! He has knife wounds on his neck and chest!"

"Do you know this address?" Ema zoomed in on the address.

"Yeah, that's her pop's house."

"We're taking my car, it's the fastest." Lana knew all three of them had the same idea.

-x-x-

She was still trying to undo his belt. He had drawn his legs closer together and was desperately trying to undo the cuffs biting into his wrists. Her cellphone began to ring.

"What is it?" Apollo squirmed and groaned in pain at the fresh cuts he'd received.

"Listen you! If you hurt Apollo I'll kill you!" Ema roared down the phone so loud Apollo heard it as Angel climbed off of him.

"Hm… maybe you'd like to talk to him…" She put the phone on speaker.

"Red Eyes, we're on our way cowboy!" Jake yelled.

"Ema, Jake, Lana!" Apollo yelled.

"shut him up would you my dear…" They heard Gant as he approached poor Apollo.

"Stay away from me!" He snarled.

"I'm not stupid, I know as soon as your adrenaline begins to pump you can stand without pain!" Gant roared at him.

"Dude, have a breath mint…"

"I've been in jail for a long time boy." He hoisted Apollo up by his throat, launching him against the other wall with ease. On the other end of the line they heard Apollo choke on the blood in his throat.

"Apollo…" Ema couldn't help but cry.

"Aargh…" Apollo rolled onto his arm with the cut on and crossed his legs to protect the most sensitive areas of his body. He felt as sudden spark, like a lightening bolt charging through his blood. "Adrenaline…" He whispered to himself. "I have to make more…"

"Keep him on the floor!" Angel barked as she ran up to Gant and kissed him on the cheek.

"That is…creepy…" Apollo groaned. "Jake! Lana! I was right and this is freaky…" A shadow came down the stairs, wielding a kitchen knife.

"This should keep you quiet!" Gant ran forward and drove the blade straight through his leg. The scream was blood curdling and it made Ema scream.

"We're coming Apollo!" The line went dead.

"Gant my dear, you stay here and watch my little brother, I'm going to stop them."

"Leave them alo-aargh." Apollo wanted to stand.

"Bye now bro." She took her leave and blew a kiss at the old man. Apollo felt another charge shoot through his leg up to his heart – this one more powerful than before. He just needed one more electric burst and he should be strong enough to stand. He hissed and whined in pain as he moved his arm. Gant saw this as a chance to strike and slashed his other arm. The charge happened and the blood rushed to his head, electricity ran wild in his mind.

He felt no pain as he struggled to his feet. Gant was shocked but still ran towards Apollo. He missed completely as Apollo stumbled to the side and grabbed his cellphone beside Angel's on the desk. He struggled with the cuffs still slicing savagely at his arms which were limp in front of his chest. Blood was dripping out of the fresh wounds and where his leg had been stabbed there was a long, thin trail of blood. He fumbled with the speed dial and dodged Gant again.

"Hello?" Leia's voice ran through the receiver as he forced his arms close to his head.

"Leia, it's Apollo. Need you to come to your ex-husbands house. I'm in trouble and it's an emergency." The line went dead. He knew she would rush to the sound of his voice. Gant had got another knife now and the attorney with the glowing red eyes was determined to get out. As Gant lunged forward, Apollo ducked down and the knife drove straight through the chain of the handcuffs. Now free, even though he still had the knife in his leg he crawled up the stairs to the kitchen. He waited for Gant to run after him and then slammed the door shut as soon as the man's face was close enough. Apollo quickly opened it and caught the now unconscious man, pulling him up into the kitchen and leaning him against the counter.

Apollo caught his breath and as soon as he'd finished the door was smashed and Joanna ran in.

"Apollo!"

"Jo, don't ask questions and tie this man in the back of the car or something."

"What?" Leia ran in, noticing the trail of blood and the blade in his leg.

"Tie him up please." They did as he said. "I've got to save Ema and the others." He knew that Leia's husband was a biker and his motorbike was out on the drive.

He kick started the powerful bike and his mind and body was still pumped with adrenaline – that was the only excuse he could think of for riding off with no helmet and his shirt still open. He was still going to obey the speed limits and rules.

"Where are you?" His voice was still hoarse as if he was still in pain as he dialled Ema's number.

"The intersection of Ace Avenue and Thames Avenue." Ema sobbed. "You sound in pain."

"Are you alright?" He dismissed her comment.

"Angel… she's here, threatening us she locked me in the boot of Lana's car. I want to help her. Huh… crap the boots opening, help me!"

"Leia, we have to get to the intersection!" He called to the two woman behind him as he guided the bike onto the road. "Follow me." For a just qualified driver he was superbly good – coupled with the adrenaline overload, blood red eyes and blade stuck in his leg it was a surprise he could walk. The bike skidded across the tarmac, it stopped with a screech as he pulled the brakes exactly in front of Lana's car.

"You little bastard!" Angel snarled at him. "Where's my Gant?"

Apollo signalled for Leia and Joanna to drag the unconscious man from the car. Her immediate reaction was to run for him.  
"You two should go…" Apollo told them sternly.

"Not until you go to a hospital!" Leia snapped.

"I will." He heard the car screech as it drove away. Angel was over Gant and Lana saw this as a chance to stop her from killing Apollo completely. She snatched the cuffs from Ema and chained Angel's wrists behind her back before she had chance to react.

"Apollo!" Ema cried running towards him. The adrenaline had stopped flowing, the storm had passed in his mind. Unsurprisingly – due to his injuries he passed out almost instantly.

-x-x-

He woke in a soft hospital bed. His head was buried in a mountain of pillows and he could feel something on his head, another's palm, ruffling his hair gently.

"Red Eyes… it was piercing looking at him…" that sounded like Ema's voice.

"You should get some rest honey, you've been here for a while now." _That sounds like Joanna._

"No, he wouldn't leave me if I was in the hospital bed…"

"Here." _Lana_.  
"At least sleep for a while darling." _Leia._

"Phoenix and Trucy should be here soon. Klavier too." Lana was whispering. The others got up to leave.

"I have to go to the office now, I'm so sorry." Leia said it with such sorrow. "I'll give you a lift to the orphanage as well sis."

"Can you leave me alone for a while?" Ema asked.

"Of course, I'm going to find Jake and see how he's feeling."

"Please wake soon Apollo…" She leaned over him, careful not to touch any of his soft sensitive skin. "I need you. We all need you. We all need to say thanks." She kissed his forehead gently. "We. Need. You." She choked back her sob before she began to cry.

**Poor Polly! I wonder what Jake and Lana are going to do *cunning smile* - EvilWaffles**


	10. Chapter 10

"…Am…I really… that…important?" Apollo groaned, he was in a daze and Ema could see the chestnut tint in his half opened eyes.

"Apollo!" She cried joyfully. "You're ok!"

"How long have I…ya know…?"

"You've been asleep for three days." She whispered in his ear. She leant back and gently caressed his tender pink skin, making him jump and swat her hand away. "Easy…" She replied to his groan. "You saved us…Red Eyes."

"I…did?"

"Yeah, you had a knife in your leg and hundreds of cuts and bruises but you somehow still managed to get away from Gant and save us!" She exploded with joy. _That's a side to Ema I never thought I'd see. _"We found Klavier's contact details for Germany and rang Phoenix. They're coming over as soon as they can. Leia and Joanna filled us in on how you got the wounds on your neck and chest."

"So…you know I'm Leia's 'son'?"

"Indeed. She told me how you saved her from being sent to jail and she adopted you back about a year after the trial where you were attacked."

"Where are the others? I heard other people…"

"Leia and Joanna went back to work. Lana went to check on Jake." Ema looked at her watch. "I have to make a few calls to tell everyone you've woke up."

He struggled and moaned as he used the bar on his left hand side to sit up then the headboard to stand. He yelped in pain as he tried to put pressure on the leg which had the blade stuck through it. Now there was just a layer of blood soaked bandage. He stumbled, yelping occasionally and staring down at his unbuttoned pants – only held up by the loosely fastened belt and his shirt left fully open, exposing the bloody bandage wrapped around his torso.

He found Jake in the hall just a few yards away from the door which led to the rest of the hospital. He was eating a packet of mints.

"Cowboy what the hell you doin' up?" He reached out to steady Apollo and let him lean against him.

"Sorry…"

"C'mon, back to the bed with y'all" He guided the boy back to the bed and forced him to lie back down. Apollo bit back the pain as the pressure he put on his back was horrendous. "What's wrong with ya?" He offered Apollo one of the few mints left in the pack and Apollo feebly chewed it and felt a short pain as he swallowed.

"Did I prove to you that…Angel was a cheater?"

"Yeah. Lana is stayin' with me to keep an eye on me for a few days."

"You've waited more than a decade for the opportunity to lavish her…I hope you do a good job…and look after her." Apollo noticed the handle of the door was moving.

"Apollo…" Lana spoke softly.

"Lana." She looked a lot healthier than her sister at the moment. Ema looked sleep deprived.

"Ema's here now." As if on cue she walked in. Apollo felt a sharp pain as he tried to breathe in. "Easy honey."

Ema was so exhausted it terrified Apollo. Even though he'd been asleep for three days since he passed out Apollo too was exhausted.

"Excuse me. Visiting hours are over." A nurse peered around the edge of the door. "If you'd all like to make your way into the corridor for a minute while I talk to the patient."

"Ok…"

"Mr Justice, I've spoken to the head doctor and you can have one visitor stay with you for the night." She lifted his head gently then fluffed his pillow. "That is of course if you want someone to spend the night with you."

Uh…thanks nurse…Ema…I want Ema."

"Of course sweetie."

In the dim light of dusk Ema came back in and took the seat beside Apollo's bed again.

"Apollo…Why'd you ask to bring me back…don't you want peace from me?"

"I don't want to be lonely." He felt his antennae being pressed down onto his forehead, he noticed no matter where she touched him she made sure not to put too much pressure on him.

"I was told to give you some news. Pick good or bad."

"Good first."

"Angel has been arrested and Gant put back in solitary confinement. Angel's father has also been arrested and all three will be charged for assault." She sat back in the chair and watched the sun as it began to set.

"What's the bad news?" He groaned.

"I was given a list by the doctor of everything they found wrong with you." She pulled a slip from the pocket of her lab coat. "Let's see… they had to remove the knife from your leg; you have bruising on effectively every part of your body and 150 or more lacerations – mainly on your chest and arms."

"Geez…" He groaned as he rolled onto one side so he could face her. "Did I suffer any head trauma?"

"No. What makes you think that?"

"You look much more pretty than usual."

"…" She was shocked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable…" Apollo tried to hide the hurt in his eyes at her lack of approval (although he sincerely meant what he just said).

"Can I try something?" She rolled him softly onto his back.

"Uh…Sure…" She leaned over him and gripped his chin softly with her free hand. As she tenderly pressed her lips against his own and pulled back into the chair they both got the answer to the question that had been bugging them since their dreams.

"Chocolate." Apollo exclaimed.

"Peppermint." Ema did the exact same at the exact time. "Hang on, you've been asleep for three days, how can your breath smell like mints?"

"I dunno maybe you were dreaming it."

"Then I'm going to have to check." She leaned in on him again. "Nope definitely peppermints."

"I got the mint of Jake." He smiled slyly before yawning. "The sun sure is pretty in the evening…" he was staring out the window at the swirling colours of orange and yellow fighting for superiority in the sky as the sun set.

"I think we should get some sleep…" Ema yawned.

"When was the last time you slept?"

"Properly? Four days ago."

Apollo fell asleep first, lying flat on his back, if he slept the pain felt less. During the night Ema had fallen asleep resting her head on the edge of Apollo's bed and stretching her arms softly over the attorney's bandaged torso. As soon as she was asleep beside him the pain was nothing, it had been replaced by the love for the girl.

-x-x-

On the other side of town, despite all that had happened Jake had taken Lana to dinner. Neither drank any alcohol so they _knew _the other wanted this.

"We should continue from the other night." Lana purred as she gripped the collar of Jake's shirt and pulled him close to her.

"I think we should start over." He walked forward until Lana's heels hit the soft material of his couch. "Shoes off now, I don't want you killing the poor couch." He had already kicked his boots off and climbed on top of her legs.

He was lavishing her with kisses wherever he could, her lips, her cheeks, her neck. Both had desired this for so long, both of them urged to do this for the same two reasons:

1. They wanted to replace Angel

2. Both had waited a long, _long _time for this.

As they fought for dominance and the kisses became rougher they knew what was going to happen.

-x-x-

In the morning, Lana was roused by a scent. A scent she was not used to, one she never smelt in her own house. It smelt fresh, like the ocean after a heavy storm. She knew this wasn't her home. She was only _positive _of that fact when she rolled over to be even closer to Jake. The sheet on top of them barely covered either of the pair's exposed flesh. She stayed in her new position, feeling his hot breath as he slept peacefully. She caressed his skin along his arms and eventually worked her way across his chest to his abs. She knew she wouldn't regret what she had done with him the night before as she scanned what little of the room she could see from her cramped position on the couch.

Scattered clothes littered the floor and she felt a soreness on her neck where the kissing had turned to nibbling and biting each other. She curled into his arm again so her head rested just beneath his and as she and he lay naked together and she gradually entered the realm of dream, one thing passed through both their minds.

_It was well worth the wait._

**And that's the end folks. Hope this is what you wanted Dragonridingattorney43 and thanks to all you readers and reviewers (you know who you are!). Keep reading my stories xx**


	11. Chapter 11

Ok, I figured I'd add this to the end of this story for all the people who do not have a login or whatever.

First, sorry if you thought this was an extension of my story…

Second, I might do a sequel to my story or start a new one at some point. However this will be after I have tried to write my M rated story that I have started.

Thanks loads EvilWaffles/Charlotte xx


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